Heroes and villains: Explore Shakespeare’s portrayal of Macbeth.
You need to show the examiner that you can:
 Interpret the ideas that Shakespeare was trying to put across.
 Explain how Shakespeare uses literary techniques (e.g. symbolism) to put his ideas across.
 Understand the historical context of the play (e.g. attitudes towards witches and witchcraft).
SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION.
Write that Shakespeare explores the ideas of Kingship, ambition and power in ‘Macbeth’. Highlight that a Jacobean
(King James I) audience would have been interested in the play because they believed in the Divine Right of Kings and,
as such, would have been shocked at Macbeth’s actions.
SECTION 2 – MACBETH’S HEROISM – ACT 1, SCENE 2.
Explain that Macbeth is portrayed as a hero at the beginning of the play. Write about his actions (i.e. what he does) and
how he is described. Make sure that you analyse the effects of the language used by the Captain.
SECTION 3 – MACBETH’S AMBITION – ACT 1, SCENE 3.
Explain Macbeth’s status as a hero starts to be undermined after he hears the prophecies. He doesn’t do anything
dishonourable or disloyal at this stage, however, he is clearly interested in what the witches tell him (unlike Banquo,
who is suspicious). Write about the significance of the stormy weather at the beginning of the scene (pathetic fallacy)
and the physical appearance of the witches: Shakespeare gives us lots of signs that the witches should not be trusted.
Link your points to Jacobean views on witches and witchcraft. Finally, highlight that Macbeth’s tragic flaw is arguably
over-ambition: it is his desire to be king that triggers the brutal later events.
SECTION 4 – MACBETH’S INDECISIVENESS – ACT 2, SCENE 1.
Macbeth is undoubtedly strong in a physical sense, but he seems to be mentally fragile. He has doubts about killing
Duncan, but Lady Macbeth is able to change his mind by questioning his masculinity and by calling him a coward. Make
sure that you closely analyse the ‘dagger scene’. Macbeth’s mental weakness and his eventual agreement to murder
Duncan casts doubt upon his status as a true hero and affects our view of him. Make sure you highlight that Lady
Macbeth does not behave like a typical woman of the time.
SECTION 5 – MACBETH’S INSECURITY – ACT 3, SCENE 4.
Write about Macbeth becoming increasingly unstable. At this stage of the play, he is very different to the confident
hero that he was in Act 1, Scene 2. His mental state is still fragile: he believes that he sees Banquo’s ghost and relies on
new prophecies from the witches. Make sure that you analyse how Shakespeare uses language. The fact that Macbeth
ordered the execution of his former best friend shows us that he has become a paranoid and insecure tyrant.
SECTION 7 – MACBETH’S TYRANNY – ACT 5, SCENE 3.
At the end of the play, Macbeth is isolated. However, he is still willing to go into battle and wants to die fighting. Write
about how we see glimpses of the old Macbeth who was so brave and heroic during Act 1, Scene 2.
SECTION 8 – YOUR CONCLUSIONS.
Say whether you think that, overall, Macbeth is presented in a way that would make the audience feel sympathetically
towards him; or, whether you think he is presented in a way that would make an audience dislike him. Make sure that
you explain why you feel the way you do.
Planning checklist

I will be able to use the following key terms in the essay: soliloquy, dramatic irony and audience.

I will also be able to use the terms: tragedy and tragic hero.

I will put forward points about the historical context of the play.

I know exactly which scenes I am going to refer to.

I’ve picked out a range of quotations

I will be able to make a point about Shakespeare’s use of language in each section of the essay.

I will be able to use the following language terms: adjective, simile, metaphor, symbolism.

I am sure that I will be able to write everything I need to in the two allocated sessions.

I will use Sparknotes and Bitesize to help me revise.